Salon Booking System – Free Version vs Appointment Booking Calendar (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Salon Booking System – Free Version
3.0K+ active installs
Free
Appointment Booking Calendar
1.0K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Salon Booking System – Free Version has a higher user rating (4.4/5 from 179 reviews) and leads in active installations (3.0K+ vs 1.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Salon Booking System – Free Version has accumulated 740K+ total downloads while Appointment Booking Calendar has 473K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Salon Booking System – Free Version | Appointment Booking Calendar | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.4/5 | ◄ | 4.2/5 |
| Total Reviews | 179 | ◄ | 92 |
| Active Installs | 3.0K+ | ◄ | 1.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 740K+ | ◄ | 473K+ |
| Support Resolution | 75% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 1 week ago | ◄ | 1 month ago |
| First Released | 2015 | 2012 | |
| Age | 11 years | 14 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.1+ | 3.0.5+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.4.8+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 10.30.23 | 1.3.99 |
Rating Breakdown
Salon Booking System – Free Version
Appointment Booking Calendar
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Salon Booking System – Free Version averaged approximately 313 daily downloads while Appointment Booking Calendar averaged 22.
Recent Reviews
Salon Booking System – Free Version Reviews
Great – lot of bugs – fast fixing
I tried almost all the most popular booking plugins, and this one offers the best functionality in its free version. You have the possibility to set everything very granularly. The only con is that
Really useful Plugin and best Support
The plugin offers everything you would expect from a booking plugin, and the price for the Pro version is really fair, but the best thing was the direct support. The developers even made a change to t
Really not recommended, poor plugin with poor support
In general, I cannot recommend this plugin at all. If you need a working plugin go for Amelia, really solid plugin offering everything you could possibly need. Back to Salon, sorry to say but for busi
Appointment Booking Calendar Reviews
Works as it should
The plugin works exactly as it should, and we have been satisfied with it for years. Support is straightforward and fast.
Almost Perfect
This is a really great plugin.
Simple and complete
I am new to it so I am still in discovery mode but the page created with booking calendar is working as I was expecting. Need to dig a little bit for multiple booking in the same time slot though.
More Appointment Calendar Worth Comparing
Top alternatives in the same category as Salon Booking System – Free Version and Appointment Booking Calendar
Appointment booking and event calendar for WordPress. Services, staff, availability, shortcodes, and email notifications. Prevents double-booking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Salon Booking System – Free Version or Appointment Booking Calendar more popular?
Which has better ratings — Salon Booking System – Free Version or Appointment Booking Calendar?
Are Salon Booking System – Free Version and Appointment Booking Calendar free?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.